Squint and maybe you can see it!

...My cycling legs coming back that is. Did a nice 15 miler today and though every little ant-hill climb was terrible... I felt happy. I felt like I was supposed to actually be on a bike today. The weather was perfect... the course was good... and it was a good day to be a cyclist. I had this "hollow" not quite there feeling you get in your legs an hour after the ride that felt great. Just enough to remind me that I did something good today. I hope I never take it for granted again. I rode easy today. I never pushed too hard or attacked on climbs. I just put it in a gear I liked and rode. Didn't care about average speed... didn't care about cadence... didn't care about whether I was in the saddle or out. I just rode and enjoyed the surroundings. It's the purity of cycling that I missed. I've grown so tired of all the bike snob arrogant pro wannabe group ride idiots. How about an "Alternative", alternative bike culture. One that isn't full of posers. One that doesn't have an agenda... that doesn't criticize other riders for the bike they ride, the way they dress, or how they "represent" the scene. Just blue collar folks who like to ride. Who like the machines. Who respect the history, but don't so caught up into it that they lose site of "the ride". After all... it's about propulsion. Getting from one point to another and enjoying the journey and hopefully enjoying it with a friend. Here's to cycling... and here's to the new "alternative" Alternative culture. Here's to "just ride your freakin bike and chill out."